Centres of expertise - the British Gear Association

Citation

(1999), "Centres of expertise - the British Gear Association", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 51 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.1999.01851dab.001

Centres of expertise - the British Gear Association

Centres of expertise ­ the British Gear Association

Keywords British Gear Association

The British Gear Association (BGA) was formed in 1986 from the remnants of the old British Gear Manufacturers' Association. This happened as a result of pressure from the power transmission industry as a whole and also from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers that had taken a protective interest in this core British industry.

The aim of the BGA was to broaden its appeal and membership to encompass not only manufacturers and users of gears, gearboxes and transmission elements, but also to provide a service for the whole mechanical power transmission industry; in other words, manufacturers of all the components in the drive line between the prime mover and the driven machine. The present membership, now numbering approximately 90, reflects this change in that it includes manufacturers of couplings, clutches, belts, chaindrives and even lubricants, as well as research establishments, higher education institutions, consultants and suppliers. All have an active involvement with the mechanical power transmission industry. Users of gears and also companies and individuals who operate on the periphery of the industry are also welcomed as BGA members. As such they may benefit from the technical and commercial knowledge that the Association can bring to its varied activities.

Although the BGA has broadened its spheres of influence over the mechanical power transmission industry as a whole, its core activity is to promote the interests of the majority of its members who are gear and gearbox manufacturers.

The BGA is headed by an Executive Council which comprises members' elected representatives to whom the director and technical director report. Various committees are responsible for technical, commercial, educational and training matters.

By mid-1989, the BGA had appointed a full-time director and staff and opened a new headquarters based at the Engineering Employers Federation, West Midlands offices, in Birmingham. In 1993 the headquarters moved to its present offices in Burton-on-Trent.

The director was charged with collecting and distributing to members all kinds of information and statistics of national and international relevance to the gearing industry. In addition, the BGA was to be promoted both within the UK power transmissions industry -- in particular to increase the membership -- and outside it, such as in parliamentary circles, to bolster the Association's influence on behalf of members and the UK gearing industry. Other duties included contributing to all BGA meetings, distributing meeting records, implementing agreed decisions, organising seminars, workshops and factory visits, and also producing the Buyers' Guide and Members' Handbook.

The Association acts very much as the sounding board for the industry and receives numerous requests for information and help from non-member organisations and individuals. If BGA staff are not able to answer these questions themselves, they almost invariably can obtain answers from within the membership.

Gear research has always been of special concern to the Association. For some years this activity was the responsibility of a BGA Gear Research Council (GRC). This body instigated and successfully concluded a number of research projects which were funded 50:50 by the BGA and the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI). In 1991, DTI signalled its intention to fund a »multi-million gearing research programme to be co-ordinated and managed by the BGA on behalf of the UK power transmissions industry as a whole. Because there had to be a mechanism to allow non-members to participate in this research, it was decided to reconstitute the Association as a company limited by guarantee, to close the GRC and to create a Gear Research Foundation (GRF) to manage the new research programme.

DTI support for this programme also included funding to enable the Association to appoint a co-ordinator in August 1992 to assist in the transition of the BGA to its new structure, to set up the operating procedures for the GRF and to prepare the future research programmes.

The Association is well represented on British and International Standard committees and the Chairman of the British Standards Institution's MCE/5 Committee on Gearing is a BGA member. In 1997 the Association assumed responsibility for the management of an ISO sub-committee by providing both the Chairman and Secretary.

In recent years the co-ordination commitment has expanded to wide-ranging technology transfer and best practice activities as well as the requirement to manage the current and planned research programmes. In view of these increases plus the expanded ISO role in 1998 the Association recruited a full-time technical director.

In its early days, the BGA supported the setting up of a Gear Research Centre at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and in 1988 designated this a centre of excellence in gear technology. At the same time, the BGA made a significant contribution towards ensuring that the national gear standards, which had been developed by the National Engineering Laboratory (NEL) in East Kilbride, were maintained, and encouraged the setting up of the National Gear Metrology Laboratory at Newcastle. The latter was NAMAS (National Measurement Accreditation Service) which was accredited in 1988 and is now responsible for gear standards and gear metrology in the UK.

By lobbying funding organisations ­ in particular the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the BGA has been instrumental in encouraging more research in gearing at other universities, notably at Huddersfield and Cardiff, as well as Cambridge, Imperial College and Birmingham University.

More recently, with the encouragement of the BGA, universities and other higher education establishments have included gear and transmission technology in their mechanical engineering degree courses. Individual skills training is an area constantly under examination by the BGA, which has worked closely with the Engineering and Marine Training Authority (EMTA), to ensure that suitable training standards are set.

Commercial activities of the Association include the provision of annual European trading statistics, sponsorship of and attendance at exhibitions. The Annual Dinner and Technical Congress is held in conjunction with the Drives and Controls Exhibition at Telford.

With DTI support the BGA has sponsored seminars to improve the industry's competitiveness in Europe, launched a self-assessment programme where companies are assessed against a European Quality Management scheme and conducted studies on the German and Italian markets, the former to identify potential customers, the latter to better understand how the Italian industry manages its business.

On the international scene, the BGA continues to be an active member of EUROTRANS, a federation of national associations of gear and transmission element manufacturers in nine European countries, and has taken its turn in providing executives on the federation's controlling bodies. From 1990 to 1993, the EUROTRANS President and its Technical Commission Chairman were both also BGA Executive Council Members. The combined strength of EUROTRANS members was amply demonstrated when a campaign to prevent American import restrictions on gearing products was successfully concluded in 1992.

The BGA continues to speak with authority on behalf of the UK mechanical power transmissions industry both nationally and internationally. In this capacity, the Association is now well-regarded by Government departments, the media and the industry itself. Its ability to help companies and individuals involved in the industry is widely recognised; every week, the Headquarters fields numerous questions and requests for help from both members and non-members.

Research

A principal objective in setting up the BGA in 1986 was to encourage, support and co-ordinate gear research in the UK and facilitate co-operation between the industry and universities as recommended by the I Mech E Working Party which, in 1984, investigated the needs of the UK Gearing Industry.

In the last ten years there have been changes to the administration and funding of gear research by the BGA, but it is still a primary aim to encourage and promote research to improve the technological capability of UK industry. From 1986 to 1992, all full members of the BGA joined the GRC which funded and administered gear research. In 1993, the obligation on companies to join the GRC was lifted, and the GRF created. The GRF facilitates and co-ordinates pre-competitive research projects, with each project benefiting from the group's collective resolve and guidance. In addition, each individual member benefits from the very much reduced cost of the collaborative enterprise, further assisted by financial support from other agencies such as the DTI and EPSRC. The research results in advancing the GRF members' design ability, technical knowledge and manufacturing techniques; these advances are aimed at improving their competitive market position, both at home and abroad. Members of the Foundation meet four times a year, supported by representatives from the DTI, EPSRC, Ministry of Defence (Naval) (MoD(N)) and the various research organisations, to be updated on ongoing research and make suggestions for future projects. At these meetings technical information is exchanged and lectures on specific topics, relevant to the industry, are arranged; the latter have proved very popular. Additionally once a year a Foundation meeting is held at a member's factory and includes a works tour.

Any UK company, or company with substantial manufacturing facilities in the UK, is eligible to join the GRF and participate in collaborative research.

Planning the research programme

Since gearing research had been largely neglected by the academic establishment in the UK in the preceding 15 years, the BGA initially commissioned a comprehensive worldwide literature survey of gearing related research, which was published as the "State-of-the-art survey". Resulting from this, relevant data were extracted and data items prepared for BGA members on gear design and manufacture, and a gear research programme formulated to meet the needs of the UK gearing industry.

The EPSRC and the DTI both supported this research plan in principle, and in the event have provided generous funding for these activities.

The fatigue strength of gear materials

The GRC together with the DTI and the MoD(N) has funded and managed a major programme of research to determine the fatigue strength of four commonly used gear steels, viz.:

1. 1.

   En 36 C -- case carburised steel

2. 2.

   En 40 B -- nitrided steel

3. 3.

   SAE 8620 -- case carburised steel

4. 4.

   16 MnCr5 -- case carburised steel

The programme of work has established statistically valid stress-life (S-N) curves for surface (pitting) fatigue and root bending fatigue for these steels. Also the effect of variability of heat treatment and post-hardening shot blasting has been investigated, as has the analysis of scuffing load capacity.

In parallel with the GRC funded work, the EPSRC has supported metallurgical research. This has investigated the initiation of cracks and the propagation of fatigue failures in these case-hardened steels, and researched grinding burn and residual stress.

In addition to quarterly reports to the GRC Materials Sub-Committee, the results of this work to date were presented at a GRC meeting in June 1996, and further seminars were held in 1997 which presented these results in greater detail.

GRF funded research

From a founding membership of ten in 1993, the GRF has grown to some 40 companies, from which research consortia are formed to support and manage individual projects. A comprehensive research programme, with total cost in excess of »2M is now under way. The research is administered by the technical director, who reports to the GRF management committee. Several projects have now achieved maturity while others are still under way (see summaries below).

Completed projects

Project 3. Spline stressing and wear research to develop a comprehensive design capability for aerospace and industrial applications. This successful project, jointly funded by the DTI and by a GKF consortium, aimed to develop an accurate elastic model of contact and stressing in highly loaded splines. It achieved its objectives in developing a validated full 3-dimensional spline coupling stressing and contact model, based on boundary element techniques, and in conducting research, at Nottingham University, into spline fretting/wear using a range of test rigs. The outcome of this work is a user friendly computer software program which will assist a specialist designer in producing efficient and effective spline joint couplings for a wide variety of aerospace applications. A follow-on project investigating industrial and automotive splines is planned for the future.

Project 4. Reducing gear grinding costs for generative gear grinding. This programme of research, supported by the DTI, has been successfully completed and the results reported at a technology transfer seminar. The research revealed significant differences in performance between various grinding wheels and determined both the wheel wear and grinding burn limit for roughing and finish grinding. Improvements were identified in cutting oil delivery and developed a calculation procedure for optimising grinding feed and speed rates to achieve high metal removal rates without grinding burns, while maintaining excellent accuracy. A follow-on project will investigate the improvement in form grinding, in particular the control of grinding burn and wheel wear in this process. This work has wide implications for the majority of high performance gears being manufactured today.

Research work in hand

Project 1. Improving worm gear performance to give greater load capacity. This three-and-a-half year research programme, which has been part funded by the DTI and the GRF collaborators, has investigated the potential for significant improvements in load carrying capacity in worm gears. A comprehensive contact analysis for cylindrical worm gears has been developed and made available to the collaborators. A back-to-back test rig for worm gears of 160 to 200mm centres was designed, manufactured and commissioned and this can test single and multistart worm gears at torques up to 18,000Nm.

A number of experimental worm gear geometries have been developed; but the available facilities for grinding hardened worms and wheels have limited the gear geometries which can be manufactured. It has thus not been possible to explore the full potential of hard to hard worm gear pairings with the experimental gears to fulfil all the original aims of the project. To clarify the contact geometry and performance of the "zero pressure angle" worm gear mating with a helical wheel, further tests have been carried out using a case carburised worm and a phosphor bronze helical wheel. The performance of the zero angle gear pair was good and exceeded the performance of standard cylindrical worm and globoidal wheel. A number of experimental worm gear geometries have been developed and further studies of the effect of phosphor bronze on boundary lubrication in cylindrical worms are in hand to improve understanding of gear performance. The remaining test will take the project well into 1999.

In addition to the research at Newcastle University, the University of Wales, Cardiff, has been developing software for the prediction of the elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) films that are generated in worm gears. This project has been funded by the EPSRC and the results to date have been most promising. For example the project has already revealed regions of poor film generation associated with the orientation of the contact area relative to the effective lubricant entrainment direction at the edges of the contact; this will have considerable implications for future designs.

Project 2. Analysis and measurement of transmission errors in precision worm gears for low noise applications. The first part of this project, funded by the DTI, EPSRC and by GRF collaborators, has been successfully completed with the full commissioning of the test facility for worm gear transmission error, and the experimental validation of the contact and TE analysis software.

A follow-on project with the same group of collaborators has commenced, based on the findings of the completed research and using the test facility. It will be directed primarily at investigating the effect of detailed gear geometry and gear loading on the bedding-in process in worm gears, and the resulting change, if any, in transmission error. Suitable modifications have been made to the test rig for the next phase and the test programme has been agreed by the project committee.

Project 5. Improving gear performance by enhancing the fatigue properties of steel. This substantial research programme involves 19 GRF members and will investigate ways of improving the fatigue strength of gear steels, heat treated by case carburising, nitriding and induction hardening. The project is supported by both the DTI and MoD(N) and is a development of the first BGA Gear Research Council research programme investigating the fatigue strength of existing gears. Alternative heat treatments and surface treatments are being investigated to improve the surface and bending fatigue strength of the following gear steels:

• •

  Carburising steel:

• •

  ­ 16MnCr5;

• •

  ­ 17CrNiMo6;

• •

  ­ S156;

• •

  ­ 590 X 17.

• •

  Nitriding Steel:

• •

  ­ 897M39(En4OC);

• •

  ­ 709M40(En19);

• •

  ­ 3S132.

• •

  Induction hardened steel:

• •

  ­ 709M40 - En19(42CrMo4).

In this programme, helical and spur gears, running at 75mm and 160mm centres, are being tested for surface and bending strength and pulsator tests are being carried out for bending fatigue strength. In particular new test facilities, funded by the GRF consortium and the MoD(N) Navy, have been designed, built and commissioned which are, for the first time, allowing the fatigue testing of helical gears at powers up to 1,800kW.

The project's heat treatment sub-committee has identified a number of modern processes which can enhance gear fatigue strength and reduce distortion. In addition to the original project's aims, a limited programme of work on heat treatment distortion utilising the test gears will be carried out and this is currently being planned. A gear cleaning and shot-peening sub-committee has similarly been advising the influence of these processes on gear fatigue strength and planning treatment processes, while close liaison has been maintained with the following project with respect to lubrication and pitting failure criteria.

Project 6. Improving the understanding of micro-pitting. A large and very comprehensive programme of research is planned to investigate many aspects of micro-pitting failure in gears, an aspect of growing importance in the industry. This research is funded by the DTI, MoD(N) and a consortium of seven GRF members and is being conducted at the Newcastle Design Unit and at DERA Pyestock. Phase 1 of the work, which started in September 1998, conducted a comparison of potential micro-pitting testing methods, including FZG and disc testing, and is a pre-requisite for identifying the detail of work required in subsequent phases.

In addition to the practical research, an EPSRC and GRF joint funded project started in April 1998 at the University of Wales, Cardiff, with the aim of providing a special EHL solver for thin film/rough surface conditions, occurring in typical gear tooth contacts. This method will cope with conditions in which the film is an order of magnitude of less than the surface roughness. The time-dependent effect that occurs in gears due to surface roughness that moves relative to the contact shows the interaction of individual asperity contacts, within the overall nominal Hertzian contact, and leads to a prediction of individual asperity pressures and films. The solver is currently being developed to include thermal effects arising from shearing of the lubricant within the contact. The ultimate goal is to provide a programme which can be used to study the hydrodynamic effects in real gear tooth contacts and provide the basic micro-asperity pressure distribution data required for other surface fatigue studies.

Project 7. Improved gear stress analysis. Two programmes of work, both jointly funded by the DTI and the GRF, are being conducted at the Newcastle Design Unit with the aim to produce better stress analysis tools for the gear designer:

(1)A computer program has been written to implement the new BS-ISO 6336 (1996) gear standard. This was demonstrated in March 1998 and, having incorporated several suggested improvements, was then evaluated and trialled by eight GRF consortium companies. This software has now completed its evaluation period and is available for purchase; further details can be obtained from the BGA Office.

(2)A 2½D mesh model is being developed based on a "thin-slice" FE model of pinion and wheel and an analytical elastic mesh analysis and this work is nearing completion. The aim is to provide the gear designer with a more detailed and comprehensive analysis tool than a 2D FE model but being an order of magnitude quicker than a full 3D FE model. This package can be used by itself or as a precursor to a 3D FE analysis and will enable gear geometry (crowning, end relief, tip and root relief) to be optimised for minimum stress and for minimum transmission error. The FE modeller and solver have been written, together with input routines, and work has nearly completed on the elastic mesh analysis. This work was reported at a recent GRF general meeting and a more detailed presentation of the finished product will take place at the next meeting.

Project 8. Net forgings. This three-year project centred at the University of Birmingham, which commenced in April 1998, is funded by EPSRC and by six GRF members. It aims to develop forging techniques/die designs etc. to be able to produce gears of single helical and spur form, up to 200mm dia. and of at least ISO 5 accuracy. In addition, the post-forged surface finish will be such that no other final machining operations are necessary. The work will take account of surface hardening and will look at producing forged gears with profile modification and crowning. The first gears, of a spur design, are currently being forged and this stage will be followed by the production of two types of helical gears.

EPSRC funded research

The BGA has also supported university research which was predominantly EPSRC funded. This has included:

• •

  The design and performance of high duty spur gears (Professor Munro, Huddersfield).

• •

  The measurement of kinematic errors in precision worm gears (Professor Munro, Huddersfield).

• •

  Micro-structural and metallurgical aspects of the fatigue strength of gear materials (Dr Evans, Newcastle).

• •

  Micro-elastohydrodynamics in relation to surface distress in gears (Dr Snidle, Cardiff).

• •

  Worm gear design ­ elastohydrodynamics (Dr Snidle, Cardiff).

• •

  Gear dynamic analysis (Pennell, Newcastle).

• •

  Improving involute, lead and pitch measurement (Hofmann, Newcastle).

Future research

The GRF is currently considering a number of research proposals, including:

• •

  improving stress analysis for spur and helical gears;

• •

  the investigation of heat treatment distortion;

• •

  the development of near nett forging for helical gears;

• •

  improving understanding of micro-pitting ­ a group of four research projects to investigate EHL, contact stress, surface characteristics and micro-pitting fatigue strength of gears.

Other subjects that are being considered by the GRF for future collaborative research are shaft joint interfaces (including keys), plastic gears, application factors and safety factors, gear efficiency improvements, noise in spur gears, coupling design and development of functional metrology gear checkers.

Technical

The Technical Committee has been largely instrumental in ensuring that engineering standards, both nationally and internationally, reflect the needs and aspirations of the British mechanical power transmissions industry. It was quickly successful in achieving its declared initial aim to play an influential role on the various BSI committees concerned with formulating gear design and manufacturing standards. For several years, a Technical Committee member has chaired the BSI MCE/5 Standards Committee, which has overall responsibility for some 20 BSI standards. MCE/5 also liaises with the BSI MTE/16 Committee for gear-forming tools.

Members of the BGA Technical Committee also chair the MCE/5 specialist sub-committees which have been formed to shadow the activities of the ISO TC 60 (Gears) working groups. Table I shows the areas of interest of each of these working groups and the corresponding committee reference. The committee chairman also represents the interests of the UK gear industry at the ISO meetings and can thus influence the formulation of future CEN standards relating to gears.

Since the formation of the Technical Committee, the UK has had a representative ­ sometimes two ­ at every relevant ISO meeting.

From early 1997, the UK played an even greater part in the development of international standards as it took over as chairman and secretariat of a major sub-committee. ISO rules demand that the National Standards Body (BSI) officially take this role but the activity has been sub-contracted to the BGA, so that in the eyes of the world it is the BGA who represents the UK gear industry.

The Technical Committee and its immediate contacts have expertise in all aspects of gearing. To transfer this technology and experience, the Committee has for several years now run a series of seminars and workshops. These events are organised on a wide range of technical which are designed to help delegates from both member and non-member companies to keep abreast of the latest gearing technology.

The Technical Committee is also responsible for staging the BGA one-day annual congress and associated annual dinner. Officially sponsored by Mobil, the congress has grown in stature and respectability to become a recognised part of the calendar of the mechanical power transmissions industries with the steady support of 80 to 90 delegates each year. Apart from the valuable contributions made by British gearing experts, the congress benefits from regular submissions made by international authors.

Of particular satisfaction, May 1992 saw the publication of a teaching pack on gear technology. Initiated and financed by the BGA at a cost of »20,000, this pack was compiled by staff at Huddersfield, Sheffield and Newcastle universities, who have experience of both industrial consultancy and teaching. The pack is intended to further a wider understanding and teaching of gearing design principles in the UK and to help compensate for a lack of up-to-date English language textbooks on the subject. Research has shown that British undergraduates and other mature students receive far less tuition in gear technology than their counterparts overseas, to the detriment of British industry when seeking potential gearing designers.

Comprising six modules, the teaching pack runs to more than 350 pages of text and notes, over 200 diagrams suitable for reproduction as overhead projection slides, a PC disk and guidance on teaching gear technology. Copyright has been waived for lecturers to make their own photocopies for student use. The subjects covered by the modules are:

1. 1.

   drive systems;

2. 2.

   gear system design;

3. 3.

   gear geometry;

4. 4.

   design and stress analysis of spur and helical gears;

5. 5.

   gearbox design;

6. 6.

   manufacture and metrology of spur and helical gears.

The teaching pack has been supplied free of charge to over 100 British universities and other higher education establishments. The consensus of recipients is that this pack is a meaningful document and is being used. Because of interest from industry the teaching pack has been republished in a single volume less some peripheral items such as slides, as a technical manual.

In 1996 a DTI funded study on the suitability and feasibility of disseminating to the UK gearing industry the results of the MoD sponsored Navy and Vickers Gear Research Association (NAVGRA) naval gearing research and development programme was concluded. A full report was published and a disc database of information available was prepared together with simple user instructions.

An MSc part-time course in mechanical power transmissions is to be launched later this year at Cranfield University.

Commercial

The Commercial Group has over the last three years concentrated on trying to provide access to potential markets for its members, particularly concentrating on those with fewer than 50 employees, as well as helping all members understand how competitive, or otherwise, their industry is against the best in Europe.

The DTI funded a sales initiative into Germany, with equal contributions from the members, which resulted in many leads and some enquiries from German companies anxious to avail themselves of specialist gearing services. It also brought home to some of the members how difficult it was to penetrate what is the most demanding engineering market in Europe.

It also provided a detailed insight into the financing of the Italian industry in the early 1990s to try and ascertain why their levels of investment had been so superior to anyone else's in Europe, including Germany, and how that had been achieved in what is basically a fragmented industry of multiples of small companies. This has especially benefited some of the larger producers and sellers of gearboxes, as they can understand the financial pressures that are currently besetting the Italian industry, and how they will influence their pricing/investment over the next few years.

Spearheading the constant drive to improve company performance and standards, the Association entered into the Government sponsored self-assessment programmes. It has been made clear to members that they need to be honest about themselves if they are to be successful, but the rewards of long-term persistence with this project will be obvious for those who persevere.

The Commercial Committee has also taken part in the wider forum of European manufacturers (EUROTRANS) to attempt to standardise the terms and conditions for sale and purchase of products, as well as set up a lobbying facility within the EC.

Activities have continued in organising shared stands at major exhibitions and it is expected that with an improving business climate this will form a more focal part of our activities over the next couple of years.

EUROTRANS aims to:

• •

  Examine the economic and technical problems relating to the mechanical power transmissions industry.

• •

  Protect the common interests of members internationally.

• •

  Promote the industry worldwide.

EUROTRANS does this through its three functional arms. The General Assembly acts as the overall custodian and promoter of the industry. The executive work is done mainly by the Economic and Technical Commissions. Member associations are represented on all three bodies. President of the General Assembly is an elected position, which was held for three years during the period 1990-1993 by the then BGA Chairman of the Executive Council ­ the first time that the post had been filled by a British representative.

Areas with which the Economic Commission is concerned include: collecting and disseminating gear and transmission statistics; keeping a wary eye open for unfair competition and dumping; product liability; conditions of sale. Members regularly provide the statistics based on economic indicators such as inflation, employment and investment prevailing in their own countries.

Harmonisation of the European national engineering standards for the design and manufacture of gears and transmissions, and making a positive contribution to the formulation of such international standards, are a primary function of the Technical Commission. From 1990 to 1993, another former BGA Chairman and continuing member of the Executive Council held the post of President of the Technical Commission.

In extending its sphere of influence, EUROTRANS has forged close links with the Industrial Affairs Commission of the European Community in Brussels, also with ORGALIME, the European Metal Industries Association, and with the American Gears Manufacturers Association (AGMA).

The BGA's links with EUROTRANS proved their value in 1992 when a campaign was waged to persuade the US President not to impose import restrictions on gears and gearing products. A petition arising out of a US Trade Commission Survey on "The competitive position of the American gear industry", and presented to the US Department of Commerce by the AGMA under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962, had claimed that foreign imports were a threat to national security. At stake in Britain was the potential loss of »100 million per year of gearing exports. A special Working Group, which was chaired by the EUROTRANS President/BGA representative, employed an American lawyer to contest the petition. A successful outcome was reached during the summer of 1992 when the Department of Commerce decided not to take the matter further.

Training

Spreading good practice is the policy of the Training Committee. Over recent years the Committee has developed a number of avenues by which to successfully implement this policy within the limited funding available.

The Committee organises several technical cum practical lecture/visits each year on various aspects of gear metrology, manufacturing and support services such as heat treatment, SPC etc. These visits are held at member companies involved in the manufacture or use of mechanical transmission products.

The relationship between the BGA Training Committee and the EMTA has continued with regular discussions taking place on topics of mutual interest. The Committee continues to be active in consultation with the EMTA on proposals for standards and competencies leading to the National Vocational Qualifications.

The joint venture between the BGA and Midland Group Training Services (MGTS) successfully provides a basic introduction to a gear cutting and measurement course of four days' duration. This course covers both theory and practical work relating to the manufacture and measurement of shaped and hobbed, spur and helical gears.

The teaching of skills to newcomers and the enhancement of the existing skills to meet the challenges of technology is the mission of the training committee. As part of this mission the BGA has set in place a training referrals system whereby any member company requiring training assistance or new advice can contact the BGA technical director, Tom Marsh, who will consult with the Training Committee and see what can be done to help.

In this context, the BGA does not directly provide training; it is more a training enabler, recommending to members those organisations that are providers of good practice in training and are situated nearest to companies requiring assistance.

For further information contact Jim Hewitt ­ Executive Director or Tom Marsh ­ Technical Director, British Gear Association, Suite 43, IMEX Business Park, Shobnall Road, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE14 2AU. Tel: 01283 515521; Fax: 01283 515841; E-Mail: admin@bga.org.uk; Web: http:/www.bga.org.uk